I have a weakness for starters that burst in your mouth, and the Ostergruss radish, with its beautiful pinkish-red color and its very crunchy flesh, ticks all the boxes.
It's the kind of simple dish that brings to mind bistro tables: you put a plate in the middle, spread it on, add salt, take a bite, and it puts everyone in a good mood.
The most classic version is radishes + butter + salt, period. Here, I make it "like at home," adding just enough to make it a proper little starter: hard-boiled eggs (for a touch of nourishment), a little chive (for freshness), and a mini salad of baby greens with quickly blanched asparagus. It remains traditional in spirit: simple ingredients, no complicated techniques.
From a nutritional standpoint, it's quite clever: the radishes provide crunch and vitamin C, the eggs supply protein, and the asparagus adds fiber and folate. The butter is there for pleasure and richness—it's not drowned in flavor, it's savored.
If you want to make the dish your own, play with the texture: well-toasted bread, very cold butter (more “guilty”), or on the contrary, softened butter (more spreadable).
But the basics remain the same: good Ostergruss radishes, salt, and a good, firm bite!
Ostergrus radish: my adapted recipe
4
people16
minutes8
minutes327
kcal24
minutesA crisp and refreshing starter featuring Ostergruss radish, simply enhanced with salted butter, chives, and a hard-boiled egg. Simple, clean, and perfect for whetting the appetite.
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Ingredients
2 Ostergruss radish bunches (approx. 500g)
80g of semi-salted butter (or unsalted butter + fleur de sel)
4 eggs
1 small bunch of chives (approx. 10g)
200g of green asparagus
60g of mixed baby greens (mesclun)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
8 slices of country bread
Preparation steps
- Cook the eggs: place them in a saucepan of cold water, bring to a simmer, then cook for 8 minutes. Cool immediately under cold water, peel and cut in half.
- Prepare the asparagus: snap off the fibrous ends, and cut the stalks in half if they are long. Plunge them into boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then refresh them in cold water. Drain well.
- Prepare your Ostergruss radishes: cut off the tops, leaving 1 cm of stem (it looks nicer and serves as a handle). Wash them thoroughly, then dry them. Cut them in half or quarters lengthwise, depending on their size.
- Prepare the butter: take it out 10 minutes beforehand if you like it spreadable. Finely chop the chives and mix them with the butter and a turn of the pepper mill (taste before adding salt: half-salted is often enough).
- Toast the bread: grill the slices in a toaster or pan, just to get a crispy crust and a still soft center.
- Season the salad: mix the baby greens and asparagus with the olive oil and lemon juice. Add pepper and a very light salt.
- To serve: arrange the radishes, halved eggs, asparagus salad, and quenelles (or small balls) of chive butter. Serve with toasted bread and, at the table, add a pinch of fleur de sel to the radishes if desired.
📊 Nutritional Information
1 serving (approx. 260g)
| Nutrient | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 327 kcal |
| Proteins | 12.3g |
| Carbohydrates | 26.6g |
| including sugars | 5.6g |
| Lipids | 19.8g |
| including saturated fatty acids | 9.8g |
| Fibers | 5.1g |
| Sodium | 542mg |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin C | 62% AJR |
| Vitamin K | 58% AJR |
| Vitamin B9 | 28% AJR |
| Minerals | |
| Potassium | 18% AJR |
| Phosphorus | 22% AJR |
| Iron | 12% AJR |
* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance
📝 Notes
Radish tops shouldn't be thrown away: blend them with a little olive oil, a handful of walnuts/hazelnuts and parmesan (or not) for a quick pesto.
💡 Chef's Tips
For a recipe with truly crisp radishes, soak them in ice water for 10 minutes after washing, then dry them thoroughly. And keep the butter very cold if you like the contrast between the chilled radishes and the firm butter.
🔄 Variations
- Add a pinch of sweet paprika to the hard-boiled eggs in addition to the radishes for a bistro touch.
- Replace some of the chives with tarragon if you like aniseed notes in the recipe.
